Insecure Kancho and heat issue

[Indyfan]

I have a 2 year old chip who's been acting violent since 2 weeks ago or so. She started by biting my hand (or mutilating them as I had scratches and bite all over) and causing them to bleed. She made tiny little chipping noises of anger(?) a couple of times while she was biting. After getting some injuries to my hand I started wearing gloves to protect them. That's when she started going for my face. she made a long scratch across my ear and neck, later she bit my nose (two long scratch and bite mark on my nose, bleeding) and clawed the skin near my eyes. Right now my face healed to a level where the wounds are not visible unless one comes close. Yet Kancho is still insecure and tries to bite me. So I started covering my face with a hockey mask and my ears with a hood. Uncomfortable and it may sound crazy but at least it protected me from her bites. Just today she tried to find a way through the cover, it seemed like she was trying to go for my bare skin through the gap between the mask and the hood.
I could no longer stand her insecureness to I locked her back in her cage. She cried a lot when there was no one near her place and when I got close to her cage, she let out little angry squeaks and ran around the cage like mad. I got closer and she but the bars a bit, as if trying to bite me.
This video I just took today should give a general idea, I shot this after putting her back in for the second time. She was a little calmer than I mentioned above the second time i put her back in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqdo5dDOeh8

There were times when she was violent but it was always short term, she never acted this violent before and she never went this long.

I keep blaming myself, it feels like I didn't frequently provide toys and that is what's causing her to snap. The cage is in the minimum size btw, I would have loved to build it way bigger but I still live with my parent. My mom's very ignorant on this kind of stuff, never believes anything I say about Chips and thinks a big cage is totally unnecessary. I had some conflicts with her when I built that about a year and a half ago. She wanted me to build it to a minimum cuz she didn't want her house to become a zoo. She is not happy whenever I build a new toy or buy sth for Kancho and whenever I try to calm her down when she cries (or chirps) loudly.
I don't entirly blame mom though, I got my own problems too, feeling lazy to build sth new for kancho would be one thing.
I'm telling you all this cuz I think lack of toys and small cage are the reason for her insecureness, piled up in little kancho and finally exploded in range is what I'm thinking.
If I could make her feel secure again, I'm willing to do anything.
So, Does any of you guys out there know what is causing Kancho's insecureness?


P.S I got one question, Kancho's 2 years old and I hear female chips enter heat when they are 6-12months old. The pet shop owner said she's female when my family bought her but so far even after 2 years, she's not showing any sign of heat.
So I searched up chipmunk genitals and compared it but it wasn't so easy to tell.
I wondered if guys could tell me.
I took a quick shot of her genitals here;

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x205/Indyfan_2007/IMG_7755.jpg

[Jackie in Tampa]

Hi...I am not a chippie person, however I think she maybe in heat...aggression is associated with estrus.
Try adding a container with some Care Fresh Recycled newspaper litter/beeding so she can bury things...

Add some pencil sized safe fresh branches with green leaves for her to chew and toss around...

Cotton balls and tissue for nest building.

Nutrition can also play a part of the aggression in squirrels, healthy sqs tend to play with their stuffies and are generally happy.

Try taking her outside and getting some sunshine...Natural Vitamin D is very very healthy..however not in the direct sun.
If she paces, watch for over heating. Place fresh branches in outdoor cage also, and fleece for hiding.
I recommend covering the top of the cage for a more secure feeling.:thumbsup
Time will tell, talk soft and sweet while she is in her cage...sing in a soft voice...it may sooth her.
Hoping some REAL chippie peeps can help you more..
and Kancho IS A GIRL!:D

[Indyfan]

Hi...I am not a chippie person, however I think she maybe in heat...aggression is associated with estrus.
Try adding a container with some Care Fresh Recycled newspaper litter/beeding so she can bury things...

Add some pencil sized safe fresh branches with green leaves for her to chew and toss around...

Cotton balls and tissue for nest building.

Nutrition can also play a part of the aggression in squirrels, healthy sqs tend to play with their stuffies and are generally happy.

Try taking her outside and getting some sunshine...Natural Vitamin D is very very healthy..however not in the direct sun.
If she paces, watch for over heating. Place fresh branches in outdoor cage also, and fleece for hiding.
I recommend covering the top of the cage for a more secure feeling.:thumbsup
Time will tell, talk soft and sweet while she is in her cage...sing in a soft voice...it may sooth her.
Hoping some REAL chippie peeps can help you more..
and Kancho IS A GIRL!:D

I live in a apartment in a very urban part of the city where there seems to be no place for a release cage (cars everywhere!) besides winter's here and it's freezing outside. but i do have a artificial sunlight thing for pets, will that be enough?

I can find branches but how do I clean them?

I will try getting a container for her to hide stuff in.

About heat btw, Does heat last this long? I mean she's been like this for almost a month now she was a bit clam for the past few days, few bite attempts (i wore protection) but still she was not insecure until this morning, I once again mutilated my hand when I tried to feed her breakfast. Normally, when she's hungry and I open the cage for food, she would pace(or jump) impatiently around the plate but today, she jumped out, ignored the food and went straight for my hand.
I hear squirrels and chips are simliar in many ways so I think squirrel facts apply to chips too.

[Jackie in Tampa]

again, I am not in tune with chippies.. however if her female parts are swollen, it's def estrus. Not sure how long the cycle is.
In my grey sqs they can be fiesty for a month or so!

Otherwise ...poor nutrition/deficincy can make sqs mean too..

I wish some chippie folks would respond...

I did not realize it was cold where you are...:D

[sdreamcatcher]

I am no chipmunk expert, but based on the video and what you wrote I would guess hormones. I know birds can become very aggressive; other rodent species as well. I wonder though about her diet, since others mention that can cause aggression?

[Indyfan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s1uU2IYOEY&feature=plcp&context=C3310ddaUDOEgsToPDskLFh0Jbppit7V21pkzmEaIt

she's still aggressive and chirping, I amanged to record her chirping here, sometimes it's a single chirp, sometimes it's done in a row. Would you guys call the a heat chirp?

[Indyfan]

P.S I just don't know what to do with her, her chirps sounds like sad cries, I let her out cuz that seems like what she wants and when I do, she tries to bite me(which makes me go with protection gears). if it really is heat that's causing it, how will i know when her heat had stopped?